


Always Watching

by Aiyestel



Category: Dragon Age
Genre: F/M, Humor, Romance, Satinalia, Secret Relationship, gift-giving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-16
Updated: 2011-11-16
Packaged: 2017-10-26 03:38:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/278257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aiyestel/pseuds/Aiyestel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Satinalia comes to Thedas! Cadhla and Alistair attempt to exchange gifts while keeping their not-so secret romance a secret.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Always Watching

Sleep came calling as soon as Cadhla allowed herself to relax. The group had been making good time heading east towards the Frostback Mountains but their speed meant she was exhausted by the time she climbed into her bedroll every evening. The fire had died down some time ago and with the exception of the sentry everyone had retired to their tents. Cadhla was just on the edge of sleep when rustling outside her tent made her tense. She was reaching for her dagger when Alistair dove through the tent flap in a rush.

"Maker's breath!" he exclaimed, his voice a whisper in her ear. "Sten seems like he's always watching! It took forever to sneak past him."

Cadhla laughed softly and leaned her head against his shoulder, "You can't sneak past Sten, Alistair. If he's on sentry duty then he knows you're here."

He settled into the bedroll and pulled her close, "You're probably right. He always seems to notice everything. It's kind of creepy, really. Don't you think?"

She shook with suppressed laughter until tears coursed down her cheeks. She hadn't laughed this hard in a long time. Alistair brought that out in her and it still amazed her sometimes. It wasn't so long ago that she thought she might never laugh again, but somehow he had changed all that. She pressed her lips to his neck, "You notice the weirdest things," she whispered.

He sat up and Cadhla rolled away, still giggling. "How can you **not** notice? Have you seen him? Seven feet tall, eerily quiet." Alistair was grinning down at her. "He's right out there if you want to refresh your memory."

He reached for the tent flap and Cadhla snatched at his hand before he could pull it open. "You fiend!" she hissed. "Get back in here before he comes over to find out what you're doing here."

Alistair tackled her and pinned her wrists above her head. He leaned in, grinning devilishly, "I was under the impression I had a standing invitation into your tent."

She glared up at him, "That invitation is going to be rescinded if you keep this up. I can easily find a less obnoxious pillow."

"Oh, you wound me, my dear lady. Is that all I am to you? A pillow?" He clasped his hands over his heart and collapsed at her side. She rolled her eyes, though she couldn't help but smile.

He wound a lock of her hair around his finger as she leaned over him. "You are a cute pillow; I will give you that," she murmured.

He opened his mouth to reply but she clapped her hands over his mouth as they both heard the crunch of boots nearby. Sten was making his circuit of the camp.

They each held their breath as he passed their tent. Cadhla felt Alistair's lips press against her palm and she bit her lip to keep from gasping. She was so ticklish sometimes when she had been young she had thought it was the Maker's way of punishing her mischievousness. Okay, so sometimes she still thought that now that she was grown.

"Wardens." Sten's greeting was neutral, there was no condemnation or approval in it.

They both blushed equal shades of red as they bit back peals of laughter. "Good night, Sten," Cadhla replied softly, hoping her voice didn't betray her mirth.

"Erm. Yes… 'Night," Alistiar said when Cadhla removed her hands from over his mouth. She felt the heat in his cheeks as she buried her face against his neck to muffle her laughter.

"Do you think we'll need to say something to him?" Alistair asked when they could no longer hear Sten making his rounds. "Smooth things over?"

Cadhla doubted Sten would give a second thought to what had just happened. She had stumbled into a conversation with him about the Qunari on more than one occasion and while she thought that most of it was still over her head she understood that he didn't follow the same train of thought as the rest of them.

They settled back into the bed roll and Cadhla yawned as she leaned her head against his arm. "I don't think Sten would say anything even if he thought it was important enough to think twice about," she replied snuggling closer. "Plus. I'll have made it up to him tomorrow."

Her eyes were getting heavy again. Sleep was no longer a visitor she could ignore.

He mulled over her words and suddenly realized what she had said. "You're making it up to him tomorrow? How?"

There was no reply. Cadhla was already fast asleep.

 

 

Okay, so maybe she hadn't made it up to the Qunari since he seemed to be opposed to them taking a day off from traveling. When she had relieved him from his sentry duty she had told him to sleep in because they were going to remain where they were for a day. They had found a good place to camp. It was as secure as campsites came during a blight, with a nearby stream for bathing and washing clothes. They couldn't ask for much better. Plus, it was Satinalia. She was pretty sure it was something celebrated —or at least acknowledged— across the whole of Thedas.

Sten had debunked that theory. Apparently in Par Vollen it was simply another day.

He had grudgingly admitted that it wouldn't hurt to take a day to make repairs to clothing and armor before retiring to his tent. Cadhla had shrugged as she put another log on the fire. She wasn't going to get outright approval from him so she might as well accept that as the best she'd get.

She had enlisted Bodahn and Sandal's help to find gifts for all of her companions while they had been in Denerim. The dwarf and his son had a unique talent for finding rare and unusual items.

The rest of her companions seemed relieved and excited to take a day off from travelling to celebrate Satinalia. After handing out her gifts Cadhla headed off to the stream to bathe and wash her clothes. Loki trotted along with her, happily carrying the bone she had bought for him in the Denerim market. He was easy to please.

"You really do need a bath," she told the hound as she stooped on the stream bank and disrobed. Loki's ears flattened against his head and he whined pleadingly. "But seeing as it's Satinalia and you hate them, I guess I'll leave you be for today."  
He barked happily and bounded back up to lie beneath a tree, out of easy reach in case his mistress changed her mind.

The frigid water made her bathe as quick as humanly possible. It was only a few minutes later when Alistair found her shivering in her cleanest shirt and breeches as she washed the rest of the few garments still in her possession.

"How was the water?" he asked as he came up behind her.

Her chattering teeth were answer enough as she shot him a glare over her shoulder. He laughed and pulled her up into his arms, pressing his lips to hers until he felt them curve up into a smile. "I take it the cheese was from you," he murmured against her skin.

She giggled. "I couldn't find a miniature golem doll," she replied, putting her arms around him.

"A miniature golem doll? Where would you-- —I never--—" His blush was endearing and she stood on her tip toes to kiss his cheek.

"I have something for you too," he said, squeezing her tight before letting her go. He fished in his pocket and pulled out a small pouch which he dropped in her palm. Inside was a necklace with a delicately carved rose threaded on the end.

"Oh, it's beautiful," she murmured, turning it over in her hand. "It looks like the rose that you gave me from Lothering."

His blush was back as he rubbed the back of his neck, "Yes, well, I noticed you've been carrying it around and also that it's disintegrating. I figured this way you could keep it with you without it falling to pieces in your pack."

She slipped the chain over her head and smiled up at him. "Thank you, Alistair. I love it."

He twined his fingers with hers and looked down at his feet. "I'm glad you like it. I was just thinking that we've been through all this death, and fighting, and tragedy, and I don't tell you near enough how much you've done for me. You know I'm not always great with words.—"

She touched his face and he offered her a tentative smile. "You may not say it out loud, but I know," Cadhla assured him.

"You're just like this rose--…like that first rose. I just wanted to make sure you knew that you're a rare and wonderful thing to find amidst all this darkness."

She didn't even know how to begin telling him that he meant the same to her. Words just seemed so inadequate. How could you tell someone that some days they were the only reason you kept going? Was there a way to tell him that he was the reason she still found the motivation to traipse across the whole of Ferelden labeled a traitor that didn't make her sound crazy? She didn't think there was.

"Anyway, I'm glad you like it," he repeated. "Now if we could move right on past this awkward embarrassing part and get right to the steamy bits I'd appreciate it." He grinned when she laughed. "That is unless you still need to smooth over our awkward encounter last night and make it up to Sten."

She leaned in and pressed her lips softly to his.

"The Warden's gift was more than enough."

The two leapt apart like they were lovesick teenagers being found out by their parents. Sten was kneeling next to Loki, petting the Mabari. The two had developed some sort of bond since the Qunari had joined their party in Lothering.

When Cadhla asked about it Sten had simply said it was a warrior thing. As a female she wasn't expected to understand. She knew she should have been offended, but there would be no point to it. It was a Qunari thing.

He stood and nodded at Cadhla, "I apologize. I did not mean to interrupt your own exchanging of gifts. Still I wanted to thank you. The book was most unexpected."

She was sure he noticed the blood flushing her cheeks bright red, but she acted as if she wasn't dying of embarrassment. "You're welcome, Sten."

He didn't say anything else as he turned and disappeared into the forest, the two wardens watching him go with open mouths. Once again their Qunari companion had snuck upon them unawares.

Alistair's exclamation broke the silence, "I told you! He's always watching!"


End file.
